


In Hades' House

by Meduseld



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Kaer Morhen, Like they do but it's unclear if they already were, M/M, Not an AU like that tho, There's a lot of ambiguity here tbh, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22368193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meduseld/pseuds/Meduseld
Summary: He can’t leave Kaer Morhen until spring.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 10
Kudos: 217





	In Hades' House

Jaskier's voice echoes in the cold, empty halls of Kaer Morhen.

There's no sound to compete with it, bolstered by the rich acoustics of the stone.

There wouldn't be, even if it was filled to capacity as it was in its golden days, not when populated by men that walk even quieter than cats do. And speak less than Geralt does.

The songs make him less lonely.

In all these brief cold days, since he finally decided to lift his voice and sing in a fit of pique and longing, the most surprising thing is that no one has tried to stop him.

Almost everyone else here has exceptional hearing, after all.

But Geralt spends his days at whatever work there is running the place, and training Ciri, and dealing with Yennefer as she portals in and out. Or putting out whatever fires she sets.

Ciri learns, from whoever is there, or from books if there isn’t anyone around.

And there’s the other three witchers, wolves, seem to vanish whenever Jaskier's not looking. He’s almost sure it’s just three, not more or less.

It’d be no surprise to find ghosts in this keep.

But as populated, or not, that it is, and with the few usable rooms they keep to, they don’t see much of each other.

There's usually no one to hear him but the snow.

And maybe the monsters outside.

It's a little secret, the fact that the woods outside Kaer Morhen are fairly teeming with creatures, most hideous and bloodthirsty. Not very dangerous ones, to witchers, but dangerous enough.

They're not worth the effort, they're good for practice, they’re good for study, they're there because witchers don't hire other witchers; all things Ciri has posited and Geralt has quietly hummed at, in lieu of an answer.

It's all of that, Jaskier thinks, and protection for the keep besides.

Not that he could leave before the days when the sun starts staying longer in the sky, at least enough for the snows to begin to melt, anyway.

It's dark in the keep already, made worse by the fact that the witchers don't bother with lighting torches.

Sometimes all he can think of is how thin the air seems here, how haunted, and the simple idiot fact that he willingly sealed himself in the wolves' den.

For varying values of willingly, anyway.

"It was _there_ with their _eyes_ like glowing embers-" "A new one?" says a voice behind him and he jumps.

In the dark, Geralt looks like a ghost. And moves as easily.

"I like it better than the others" he adds, and Jaskier is about to protest that Geralt likes all his songs, thank you very much, and not _just_ the ones that sing the White Wolf's praises, when he does the last thing Jaskier's expecting.

He keeps talking.

"Eskel would like you to know that arson doesn't rhyme with abortion, and Ciri would like you to sing the one about the runaway bride again, when you can". The first slips past his ears unheard, but the second perks him up.

"And the other one? Whatshisface- does he too admire my musical stylings?" "Lambert would like you to shut up" Geralt says but he's close to smiling now.

"Two out of three isn't bad, and I'm sure you-"

This time Geralt stops his running mouth with a kiss.

When their lips touch, and Geralt's heavy tongue splits the seam of his lips open, he realizes just how cold he is.

Maybe he looks like a ghost too.

Certainly he looks less alive than Geralt, glowing eyed and grinning in the bowels of the place that made him, the place he belongs.

More and more, all of Jaskier’s songs are about him. His truest muse.

“What would you have done?” Geralt whispers into his neck, disconcertingly close to playful.

Maybe Ciri finally managed to stab one of his brothers today. She’s been trying for weeks.

“What?” he says eloquently, trying to stuff Geralt’s tongue back in his mouth.

It’s as hot as molten iron, and he’s shivering again from the lack.

“If I hadn’t come for you” he rumbles, probably thinking Jaskier alone here, of the cold and the dark. Maybe he’s not sure if he likes Jaskier helpless. Geralt certainly likes being the one to rescue him

Which is why it’s ridiculous that he’d ask.

“Of course you’d come for me” Jaskier says. There’s no other answer.

Even with ordinary eyes, he sees how the slits in the amber of Geralt’s eyes, already growing fat, widen enough to swallow all the color.

Like a real wolf, Geralt’s teeth sink in Jaskier’s throat and drag him back to his deepest den, the wide and fragrant cedar bed in his chambers.

Jaskier goes, more than willingly, now.

There’s no better way to get warm. 

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I was avoiding work at the end of the day like a normal person and then [dancinbutterfly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancinbutterfly#_=_) posted about a [HadesxPersephone Geraskier AU](https://dancinbutterfly.tumblr.com/post/190326534160/wow-if-this-happens-call-me-also-happy-ending) and this just. Happened.
> 
> The title may seem obvious, but [it was a legit way of referring to the Underworld.](https://books.google.com.co/books?id=hS1acr-lOeEC&pg=PA136&lpg=PA136&dq=%22in+hades%27+house%22&source=bl&ots=KGgGUCmM8i&sig=ACfU3U2aG8FBtXYT-pEkWvclz7YiFyjU7w&hl=es-419&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiro7akx5jnAhWJxFkKHRk0CVIQ6AEwDnoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22in%20hades'%20house%22&f=false)
> 
> Jaskier is singing his variation on [Incubus' _In The Company of Wolves_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ODqve9cOI), Eskel is referencing his version of [_My God How the Money Rolls In_](http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/My_God_How_the_Money_Rolls_in.htm) and Ciri means his version of [_Jock O'Hazeldean_](http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_hazeldean.htm) (you can find my favorite cover [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CisBvpR_ujY)).


End file.
